Windfall for Star Wars collector

A Star Wars superfan urged other children of the 70s and 80s to check their cupboards and attics for toys after he sold off some more of his collection for over £24,000.

Craig Stevens, 45, former chairman of the Star Wars UK fan club, made headlines last month when a collector paid £18,000 at auction for his pristine Boba Fett figure in its perfect, unpunched packaging.

He sold a further 15 rare figures at Vectis auction house at Thornaby, Teesside, which fetched a further £24,650.

Star Wars fan Craig Stevens sold his rare Boba Fett for £15,000 at an auction in Thornaby, Teesside

A figure of the IG-88 droid which gallingly still had its £1.40 original price sticker on the box went for £4,200.

And a Han Solo figure in Bespin outfit from The Empire Strikes Back film went for £2,000 after two internet bidders scrapped for the rarity.

Afterwards Mr Stevens, who is married and lives in Croydon, South London, said: "That was a great result from the auction - £24,000 was the hammer price which was a great return on my original investment of a few pounds in the 1990s."

That came on top of the £41,000-plus his other figures sold for last month.

The couple will use the proceeds to buy a new house. He still has a 10,000-strong collection of Star Wars memorabilia.

His advice for other fans was to get in their attic and have a look for old toys.

"The holy grail for Star Wars collectors in the Jawa with a vinyl cape which were made for a short time before they replaced it with a cloth cape," he said.

"It was only made for four or five months before they replaced it.

"There are more out there in people's cupboards and attics.

"Unpackaged you are talking £400-£500 and in the packaging, unopened, the sky's the limit."

Vectis sold one last year for more than £10,000.

Valuer Kathy Taylor said: "People didn't really believe another one has turned up because they are so scarce.

"I do believe there are more out there undisturbed lying around in people's cupboards and attics."

Mr Stevens is writing a book on Star Wars and plans another on collecting.

"I'd like to share my knowledge," he said. "Let's face it, everyone has stuff in their attics and cupboards."